Free tool
Diesel price sensitivity calculator
Fuel is the cost that moves under you. Enter your miles and mpg and see what each step up in the price per gallon adds to a month, and how much of it a fuel surcharge covers.
Result
Runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere. Example numbers are invented (EXAMPLE VALUES). This is a calculator, not financial, tax or legal advice.
Formula table
| Quantity | Formula | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gallons | miles / mpg | Rounded to 6 decimals, shown to 1. |
| Monthly fuel cost | gallons x price per gallon, to the cent | Today's price. |
| Scenario cost | gallons x (price + step) | Steps: -$0.50, +$0.25, +$0.50, +$1.00. These are scenarios, not forecasts. |
| Change | scenario cost - today's cost | Per month. |
| Not covered by surcharge | monthly fuel cost - surcharge collected | Only if you enter the surcharge. |
Worked example (invented numbers)
A truck runs 10,400 miles a month at 6.8 mpg, which is about 1,529 gallons. At $6.199 a gallon (the EIA U.S. average in this snapshot) the month costs $9,480.82. Each 25 cents adds $382.36 a month, about $4,588 over a year. A surcharge of $1,500 a month would leave $7,980.82 uncovered today.
What this means for you
The hidden number is what every 25 cents per gallon adds to your bill each month. If your rates do not move with fuel, that is margin you give up. If you collect a surcharge, check that it moves by the same steps as your pump price, not by a lagging index.
The EIA figure is a weekly regional pump average. It is a way to start, not what a fleet pays with cards and discounts.
Related tools
Questions
Is the price a forecast?
No. The EIA number is the latest weekly average in the file below. The steps are what-if scenarios.
Why is my price different from EIA?
EIA reports a regional retail pump average. Fuel cards, discounts and the stations you use all change what you pay.
Related: fuel surcharge guide, diesel price shock pilot.
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